


Tumblr Drabbles

by JilyCSLove



Category: The Cruel Prince, The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-03-31 03:27:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13966362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JilyCSLove/pseuds/JilyCSLove
Summary: Just some short drabbles I posted on Tumblr





	1. My Queen

Cardan enters her room with a slam of her doors and throws himself down onto her lounger with a dramatic flair. Jude lifts a single eyebrow at him before continuing her letter at her desk. He’s always entering her rooms without knocking. She’s used to it by now but in the beginning she would jump and pull her sword or knife on him. One time she was stepping out of her bath and had him pinned to the floor without a second thought. That had been a bit embarrassing.

She had fully expected him to give her a difficult time over that but he had fled the room with a mumbled apology when she finally stumbled off of him and they haven’t spoken about it since. 

She now puts up a screen when she is bathing or changing. 

“I heard some interesting gossip today.”

“Oh?” She doesn’t bother to look at him. She can already picture him, one leg thrown across the couch, the other stretched on the floor. His arms spread across the arm and back of the couch, his head thrown back, eyes closed, throat bare to her. 

“Mmm.” He doesn’t tell her the gossip, instead his breathing gets heavy and she knows he’s asleep. He does this often when he visits her. When she questioned him on his sleeping habits he had snapped that it was none of her damn business. The Roach had told her he fell asleep in her company because he was able to relax around her. He trusted her. 

She finishes her letter and seals it with the Royal insignia. When she finally glances over to Cardan she feels that familiar pull on her heart and her breath catch for just a moment. 

It has been four months since that fateful day. Four months and they are both so incredibly exhausted from the court politics. He may not be sleeping but neither is she. 

He wakes up an hour later. She’s sitting in an armchair close to him, reading. She glances up at him as he groans. He stretches and his shirt pulls up over his abdomen. Her eyes dart to it then quickly away but he notices. He always notices, just as she does when he looks at her. It’s a never ending game of will they or won’t they and she knows the Court of Spies has a bid gong that continues to grow with time. 

“So what was the gossip?”

“Hmm? Oh yes.” He pulls a hand through his hair and sits up, his arms on his legs as he leans forward, “Just what your nickname is.” He’s looking at her, his black eyes sparkling with mischief. 

She is blushing as she rolls her eyes, “It’s foolish.”

“Is it?” He’s watching her, “We could make it official. Have you pop out some heirs. Then little Oak can live his days peacefully in the mortal world. And you can raise a whole new breed of royals.”

She stands up tossing her book onto her desk, “Is that your idea of a proposal?”

He shrugs, “Worth a shot. Then I don’t have to pretend to marry another for love or convenience or whatever.” He waves his hand, “At least with you, I already know what I’m getting myself into bed with.”

“Is that what this is about? Getting into my bed?”

He’s behind her instantly and his hips push her into the desk. She drops her hands flat to keep from falling forward as he wraps a hand around her braid and tugs her head bringing his lips to her ear, “With you, always.” He licks a slow stroke up her neck and as her skin breaks out into goosebumps he whispers “My Queen.” into her ear. 

The door is closing behind him before she realizes the pressure at her back is gone. She hangs her head with relief? Frustration? She’s not sure. She just knows this game of cat and mouse they’ve been playing will have to end soon. 

Whether it’s her or another that joins his bed.


	2. Chapter 2

“What were you thinking?!”

Jude doesn’t stop, doesn’t flinch, doesn't acknowledge the question or the one asking it. If anything she speeds up her pace down the dark stretch of corridor. 

She is filthy, famished, and exhausted. She has been gone for three days and has not slept but for the twenty minutes she managed to catch on the bank of the river. All she wants is a some food, a bath and her bed. Preferably in that order. 

But it seems that is not to happen. At least not for a bit longer as the footsteps behind her continue. 

“Jude!” His hand wraps around her upper arm, forcing her to stop, “I asked you a question!”

Jude turns and dips into a curtsy, mostly to avoid his eyes, but also to piss him off, “I apologize Your Highness.”

He flings his hand off her arm and she stumbles back a step. Straightening she smooths her hands down over her dress. She had picked the first one off the hanger when she was summoned to the throne room the moment she entered her rooms. 

“You should not have gone. You could have been hurt.” He hisses. 

Jude stares over his shoulder, “As you can see I was not.”

Out of the corner of her eyes she sees him lift an eyebrow, “Is that right?” And then he digs the palm of his hand into her ribs. 

She doubles over in pain as his hand finds the bruise. Okay so she hadn’t hidden her injury very well from him. She should have known better to try and lie to him.

He pinches her chin between his thumb and forefinger and turns her face to his. Finally, finally their eyes meet. And she’s so torn, so confused by what she sees in his own gaze. Is it hate? Is it concern? Is it something else entirely? 

“You could have been killed.” He whispers against her mouth before his mouth crashes on hers and he has her pressed against the cold stone wall in the next heartbeat. Her hands dig into his hair as his hands grip her hips. He presses into her, his body hard and needy as his tongue swipes into her mouth. She bites it and he jerks his head back, bringing his hand up to touch his tongue. There’s a small drop of blood on it and he eyes it before he brings his mouth back to hers, his own teeth nipping at her lower lip. This time when he drags his tongue against hers, she lets him.

His thrusts are getting desperate and she is pushing back into him just as much when finally she feels him tugging at her dress, pulling it up and over her hips. He slides one hand into her panties while the other hitches her leg up on his hip. 

“So wet.” He mumbles against her lips and her breath hitches as his finger slides between her slit. He teases for only a moment before he rubs it over her clit. His other hand is attempting to undo his britches and her hands join his. Together they push them down, freeing his hard cock to the frigid air. She watches as he wraps his hand around it and guides it to her entrance. He doesn’t ease in, instead he thrusts in to the hilt in one swift movement. Jude drops her head back and the sting of the stone behind her only reminds her what she is doing. With the High King. Again. 

Because this is not the first time. And no matter how many times she tries to tell herself, it won’t be the last time. 

His thrusts are fast and hard as if it has been longer than three days since he last saw her. Since he last fucked her. Jude lifts her other leg and his hands grip her ass as his mouth moves down her neck, nipping and tonguing once he makes it to her collarbone. 

“I'm not going to last.” He hisses and she forces her hand between their bodies, her fingers quickly finding her clit. She teeters on the edge of climax, craving that rush as that elusive point dangles within reach. It only takes just one, two rubs and she crashes over, he quickly follows with his face buried between her neck and shoulder

Every sense in her is alive. Sight. Touch. Taste. Sound. Smell. The scent of their sex filling the corridor, the hiss of their breaths. His curse when he finally pulls out of her, lowering her legs gently to the floor. She pushes her dress down over her thighs as he tucks himself back up. 

When his eyes meet hers, they are hard again and she nods her head. This is what they do. They hate and fuck and try to deny that it’s anything more because of who they are. Who they have to be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr prompt from @huntress-of-velaris “Jude getting deathly injured and Cardan losing his shit”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kind of got away from me. I did it from 3 pov’s. The first is The Roach, second is Nicasia’s and the last is Jude’s. It is unedited and mostly written in the middle of the night so hopefully it makes sense.

“We just heard! Where is she? How bad…”

The Roach runs into the King’s rooms without knocking, the Ghost and the Bomb on his heels. They all freeze when they see the state of the rooms. He gives a low whistle as his eyes skim over the damage finally landing on the young female faerie sitting on the one lounger not destroyed or flipped in the room.

She raises a single perfect eyebrow and says, “I walked in in the middle of his fit. He ran out of things to destroy so now he’s just roaring his Royal heart out at the doctor.”

It’s then that they hear him through the second set of doors that lead to the King’s sleeping quarters. He comes through the doors, or is pushed through them, a second later and is still shouting.

The Roach is shocked at the state of the King. He has never seen the young man like this. His hair is all over the place as if he has been running his hands through it, his clothes are not perfectly put together. But it’s his eyes that really shock the Roach. They are wild as they slide around the room, barely even noticing the three newcomers.

“You!!!” the King roars and the Roach turns to see Jude’s twin sister sitting in a corner crying. She is curled up, her arms wrapped around her legs, her boyfriend is standing close beside her, just casually leaning against the wall, one hand tucked in his pocket, the other placed on the crying girl’s shoulder, as if he’s offering comfort but only the bare minimum.

The young girl lifts her face as the King approaches her and she shakes her head. The Roach is always amazed at how identical she is to the Queen and sucks in a breath.

“This is your doing!! You told her to go to him. That he wished to make amends. This is on you!!”

“Hey!” Locke actually manages to step in front of the girl to block the King from her, “she meant no harm.”

“Oh, but didn’t she?” The faerie that spoke to him when he first entered asks from her side of the room. Locke flashes his eyes her way but she’s staring at her nails.

Roach glances back at his companions. He’s not surprised to find Ghost gone. He’s probably already managed to get into the bedroom and is assessing what information to bring back to them. Bomb is standing against the back wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She raises her eyebrows.

The King is still roaring at the Queen’s sister with his friend in between them when the Roach approaches them, placing a gentle hand on the King’s arm he backs off with his hands raised when he swings to him. His eyes are completely black and dangerous.

“Look. Madoc wouldn’t want her dead.”

The King grabs an already halfway broken chair and flings it against the wall, “He would. He does! If it means he can wrap his dirty hands around Oaks throat.” Another piece of furniture slams into the doors and the Roach flinches as it soars a bit too close to his head.

With a quick glance at the Bomb and an encouraging nod from her he continues to try and reason with the King, “True. But he also knows if he kills her, he loses his access to Oak.”

“It’s….it’s true.” The twin sister hiccups from the floor, the King turns to her so fast and makes like he is going to rush her but the boyfriend is still standing in front of her, “Our Dad knows without Jude, he loses Oak. Vivi would never…. she hates our Dad.”

This seems to calm him down some and he manages to sit next to his friend. The room is filled with silence, the only sound coming from the sister crying softly in the corner. Roach is standing behind the lounger and is able to hear the quiet conversation between the King and his friend.

“Does this mean you’ll finally admit you care for the human?”

“I never said I didn’t.”

The faerie girl huffs, “Right.”

Ghost is beside him a moment later, mumbling in his ear. It doesn’t sound good at all and Roach actually wonders if maybe he was wrong about Madoc wanting her dead.

The doctor comes out of the room and approaches the King, “Your Highness, a word?”

The King waves his hand but the doctor glances around the room, “Perhaps in private?”

The girl faerie huffs, “Out with it. Will she live or not?”

The doctor nods, “Her wounds are extensive but I have stopped the bleeding and closed them up. It is now up to her if she will survive.”

The doctor is fidgeting his hands and Roach can tell there is more.

“I… I’m sorry to tell you, your majesty, but she has lost the child.”

“The child!” The girl faerie exclaims.

“With how extensive her wounds were and where they were, there was just no chance for him to survive.” The doctor lowers his head, “I am deeply sorry for your loss.”

The King nods and Roach can’t tell if he is just as shocked about the news of there being a baby or if he already knew.

“The girl will not wake for some time and once she does will need plenty of rest and fluids. I will be back in the morning to check on her.”

“You’re dismissed.” The girl faerie says and the doctor gives a quick bow before rushing out of the rooms.

“A baby, Cardan? Did you know about this?”

He shakes his head mutely.

“Is it … was it yours?”

There’s a long silent moment as every eye in the room stares at the King before he gives one short nod. He turns from them and walks into the sleeping quarters, closing and locking the doors behind him.

“Well shit.” The girl faerie says falling back onto the lounger, “Did you know?” She asks the sister.

The girl shakes her head, tears are falling from her eyes again, “I wouldn’t. I would be the last to know.”

————-

Nicasia finds him later that evening in Jude’s rooms. He’s sitting at her desk, going through a stack of letters. 

“Locke was in rare form at dinner. Going on and on about your tantrum.” She pauses not sure if she should go on. Not for Locke’s sake but for Cardans, “And about the baby.”

Cardan sighs as he drops the papers in his hands and glances up at her through his fringe, “What would you have me do Nic?”

“You’re King,” She waves her hands in the air, “you can literally do anything you want to him.”

“Right.” He stands and turns to stare at the books on the shelves behind Jude’s desk.

Nicasia sighs. She’s not sure how to approach this Cardan. He’s so very different from the boy she grew up with. And this mess with the human girl, she knew he was growing to care for her but she never realized it could possibly be more.

“At the very least, you should send him and that girl away from here. All they do is cause you trouble.”

“Do you realize if I sent everyone away that caused me trouble there would be no one left?” He says turning to her, a book in his hand. She doesn’t recognize it, the cover reads Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.

She takes the book from his hands, “What is this?” She opens it and scans a bookmarked passage;

“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.

“Oh, you can’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”

“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.

“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”

“It’s a book Jude stole from me when she was spying on Balekin.”

Nicasia closes the book and places it on the desk, “Cardan, what are you doing? A baby?”

“I didn’t know.” He mumbles, “She hadn’t told me.”

“You of all fairies knows what would happen to any child you father. Especially a half human child” She continues and his dark eyes flash up to hers. Finally a small piece of the Prince she knows.

“I do know. I don’t need your reminders.”

She takes a step closer to him, “I think you do Cardan.” She reaches for his arm and he jerks away.

“You forget your place Nicasia.” His voice is that of the King and she bows her head.

“My apologies, your majesty.” She spits out and turns to leave the room.

 

————

 

“Are you seriously asking after me?” Cardan chuckles as he sits on the side of her bed, “You’re worse off than I thought.”

Jude smiles as he shows her the stuffed animal he took from her rooms. He hands it to her and she hugs it to her cheek. “I heard rumors of you destroying a room. And that you made my sister cry and very nearly tore Locke to pieces with your bare hands.”

“Yes well.” He shrugs.

“I wouldn’t have minded if you had.”

Cardan manages a half smile, “I’m sending him away. Both of them.”

“Oh?”

“I’m sick of seeing their faces. And besides it’s her fault this has happened. She’s lucky I don’t put her head on a spike.”

Jude flinches. As much as she dislikes her sister, that’s not a visual she cares for, “Well, I’m okay so let’s save that for another time.” She tries to joke but neither of them laugh or smile.

“Did you know?” He asks in a quiet voice, his eyes meeting hers, “About the baby? Did you know you were….?”

“Yes.” She whispers, “I wanted to tell you but could never find the right time or way.”

And that’s mostly true. Only she wasn’t going to ever tell him what her plan had been. That she was giving it up for adoption. To a human family. That her and Viv had narrowed the selection down to two couples. That the papers for her to sign were sitting in her desk in her rooms at this very moment. That she would never bring a child into this world as it is at this moment. A child of theirs would be hunted from the moment it took its first breath.

“Come here.” She whispers, tugging on his hand and he lies beside her.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You aren’t.” She places her head on his chest and he curls an arm around her shoulders.

“How are your wounds?”

“They’re fine Cardan. Just relax.”

It takes him a bit of time but she finally feels him settle into the bed and soon he is fast asleep and she knows he probably hasn’t slept since the night before she left. If she remembers correctly they didn’t do much sleeping that night as it was.

It’s dark in the room when she wakes up next. Cardan is still under her but he is awake. His fingers brush up and down her arm lightly as she stirs, cringing as the stitches on her stomach pull. The doctor told her when he came in earlier to check them that she was lucky the sword had not gone any deeper or she would have been dead instantly. 

“They said him. Does that mean it was a boy?”

“Yes.” She whispers. Because the last ultrasound Vivi took her to showed them the sex of the baby. Jude had refused to keep the ultrasound picture. Instead it was on Vivi’s refrigerator with a magnet of a dolphin holding it up.

“Did you have a name?”

“No.” She whispers and her eyes prickle with tears, she didn’t think of names because she wasn’t keeping it. Him. She only knew the sex because when the tech asked if she wanted to know Vivi had said yes, not Jude. Jude didn’t want to know. She didn’t want to know anything.

“He never stood a chance in this world anyway.”

Jude lets out a huff of breath and the tears fall from her eyes. Because no, no he didn’t. No matter how much she had wanted him. Her child. Cardan’s son. It wouldn’t have been right to bring him into this world.

Cardan tugs her closer and wraps both arms around her as she cries for the child they have both lost.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Locke, Jude & Cardan

Locke corners her and although she knows she can best him in a sword fight, she knows he’s got an advantage over her without their weapons. He’s not a small faerie by any means. So before she realizes he has been following her, they are alone in a corridor of the castle and he has pushed her into a dark alcove that she hadn’t even known about. 

Her first thought is that Ghost would be so incredibly disappointed in her. 

In her defense, she has had very little sleep in the last few days and her mind is distracted with politics … and the Prince. No. The King. 

“What do you want Locke?” She stands there silently, even as a predatory grin spreads across his lips. He places one arm up on the wall and leans into her. 

“Just curious if he’s greened your gown yet?”

She feels fingers at the waist of her gown and she rips it from his hands. “I’m pretty sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

His fingers brush across the apple of her cheek and his eyes dart to her lips, “I still remember the way you kiss.” He licks his lips, “You’re much more passionate than your sister.” His finger traces over her bottom lip and she’s had enough of him. 

She pushes him away from her and trips on her gown as she stumbles out of the alcove as fast as possible. Right into the arms of Cardan. 

“Jude? What’s wrong?” 

Locke strolls out, his hands tucked into his pockets, a smirk on his face. 

“What the fuck?” Cardan says and his fingers tighten around her arms. 

“Cardan it’s not what it looks like.” She rushes to say, “He…”

“I know it’s not.” He says through his clenched teeth. He lets go of her and steps into Locke’s space, his face mere inches from his old friends. “Because I know how my dear friend likes to play games. I know how my dear friend likes to take it a step or two too far.” 

Jude is shocked at how Cardan is reacting. In fact she’s a bit concerned he may actually throw a punch and she’s not sure that would be wise for the High King to do. Locke for his part just shrugs, his eyes flashing to her 

“I figured she wanted it once not to long ago.”

“You don’t look at her Locke! You don’t get that privilege anymore.”

Locke’s eyes narrow, “Is that an order your Highness?” 

“You bet your sorry ass it is.” He stabs a finger in Locke’s chest, “You stay the fuck away from her or I will make your life a living hell.”

“Whatever.” Locke steps around Cardan, brushing something imaginary from his jacket, “Her sister’s a better lay anyway.”

Cardan starts to go after him but Jude stops him with a brush of her fingers on his shoulder. 

“Fucking prick.” Cardan grumbles before turning back to her, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. He barely touched me.”

“The fact that he touched you at all sets my blood boiling.” Jude is surprised at the venom behind the words. Cardan is staring down the corridor the way Locke had disappeared down. His jaw clinches and she nearly brushes her fingers across it. Instead she closes her hands into a fist so she doesn’t. 

“You know he didn’t … we never slept together, right?”

Cardan finally looks at her, his eyes searching, “I do.” And off her questioning look explains, “Locke likes to brag about his games. His conquests. He would have made sure I had known if he had.”

“Oh.” And she's so incredibly relieved she never let it go that far.

He lets out a deep sigh, “I pretty much knew the moment after he slept with Nic.”

“Oh.” Jude doesn’t often feel sorry for the High King but with that small bit of information he has given a part of himself to her that he doesn’t let anyone see. Not even his closest friends. She steps closer to him and lets her fingers brush the back of his hand hanging between them. His pinky brushes hers then he turns with a flair and strides off, “Are you coming?” He calls over his shoulder and she runs to catch up with him. 

“I don’t want you to walk alone in the corridors.”

Jude huffs out a laugh, “Might be impossible not to unless you set a guard on me.”

“Then I will.”

“What? No!” Jude stops Cardan with a hand on his shoulder, “You can’t be serious?”

“Completely. Locke isn’t the only one I don’t trust. You realize you may have more enemies than even me.”

He’s not wrong, considering who her father is and how she betrayed him. 

“This is not up for negotiation. As your High King I order you to have a guard on you at all times.”

“Is this for my own protection or just a sick way to get your rocks off.”

He chuckles as he takes a step closer to her, he lifts a hand and brushes a stray hair from her cheek, “I assure you, I can think of much more enjoyable ways to get off.”

Jude brushes his hand aside and turns to head into her rooms. Which he had conveniently walked her to. “Keep dreaming faerie boy.” She says before shutting the door with one last glimpse at his smirking lips.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr request for something fluffy about Jude seeing Cardans scars.

It’s the morning after. Not their first time. But certainly the first time she’s stayed all night in his bed. She hadn’t meant to. Normally they had quickies; up against a wall, bent over a desk. Once on the throne. Never did they fully undress in front of one another. And never in one of their beds. 

But last night they had both got beyond drunk on a wine Vivi had sent back with her after her last visit to the mortal world and one thing led to another…

Jude has to admit what she does remember it had felt amazing to fully undress. To touch and feel all of him as he touched and felt her. To have his mouth on her. To put her mouth on him. 

Sighing Jude turns to glance at Cardan. He’s lying on his stomach, his face turned away from her as he sleeps. She remembers falling asleep with all the blankets piled on them but they had apparently kicked them all but for a single sheet that covers just below his waist off. Jude starts to smile as she sees just a peak of his tail. But then her eyes catch on a sliver of the sun just barely peeking through the curtains and her eyes fall to the scars on his back. 

The smile slides from her face. 

She’s known about the scars for some time, but has never seen them up close. Not since that night at his brothers when she was hiding under the desk. Cardan still doesn’t know about that. He knows she spied on his brother. And that she stole the Alice in Wonderland book from his own rooms. 

But he doesn’t know she witnessed his beating. 

The scars are ugly. They are all over his back, some cross crossed over older scars. All stand out on his back. Jude ghosts her fingers over them. Actually feeling her heart break with each one she counts. She’s up to the sixties when she accidentally touches one low on his back. 

Cardan jerks up and away from her, “Keep you hands off me.” he hisses at her as he pulls himself into a sitting position. His back hidden against the headboard. 

Jude raises a single eyebrow, “Pretty sure you weren’t saying that last night.”

She flicks her eyes to his naked lap and he scuffs but doesn’t try to cover. She sighs and turns to lower her feet to the chilled floor on her side of the bed. Her clothes are spread around the room. 

“Are they all from him?” She quietly asks as she stares down at her hands in her lap. 

He’s silent for so long she thinks he’s ignoring her so she grabs a shirt closest to her and pulls it over her head. 

“Don’t do that.” His voice is husky, and when she turns her head to look at him she can see his hand is wrapped around his cock and he is slowly stroking it. She lifts a single eyebrow. 

“You want me to stay?” She asks as she watches his him harden with his strokes and she feels a wetness between her legs. There’s a craving with Cardan she never knew she could have. She’s not sure if it’s the anger they both feed off each other or if it’s just the mating of two individuals but she feels like she can never get her fill of him. And he seems to feel the same about her. 

“What I want, Queen, is for you to come suck my cock.”

She turns and crawls across the bed to him, “Is that an order your Majesty?” 

“You bet it is.” And she takes him in her mouth as deep as she can. He groans loudly, jerking his hips up to force himself deeper. Jude gags and starts to cough but his hand is in her hair at the back of her head and he refuses to let her up. He does ease himself out some and she manages a deep breath or two before he’s thrusting again. This time she’s ready for him and swallows around his cock, causing a loud curse from him. 

“Fuck that’s it my Queen. Swallow me whole.”

She hollows her cheeks as he pulls out and her tongue swirls around him when he thrusts back in her mouth. 

“You need something?” He asks as he lifts his leg and she realizes she’s been desperately thrusting against him. He pulls his cock from her mouth and as disappointed as she is to not finish him with her mouth, she’s relieved when he pulls her up and over him. He thrusts up at the same time she sinks down and they both give a loud groan as he fills her. They waste no time and she quickly comes with a shout, him following soon after. 

Jude collapses across his chest as he drops his head back to the headboard. Their breathing is fast and loud. 

“Your Highness.” Someone says from the door, and Jude barely manages to lift her head. Cardan doesn’t move even to open his eyes. 

“What is it?” He snaps. 

“My sincerest apologies for the interruption but you are being requested in the throne room.”

“By whom?” Cardan growls.

“Sir Madoc.”

“Go!” Cardan snaps, lifting his head, “I’ll show up when I damn well please and Sir Madoc can fucking wait.”

“Yes your majesty.”

Jude had slid off of Cardans lap at her father’s name and watches as Cardan slides to the side of the bed. His back in full display to her. He drags a hand through his hair. 

“No one has ever seen my scars. Not Nicasia, or my sisters.”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of.” She says, and he looks back at her. 

“You know you drive me absolutely mad don’t you? I want to hate you just as much as I want to fuck you.”

“Feeling’s mutual.” She mumbles and she hears him chuckle. 

Then to her surprise he is laughing loudly. His shoulders shaking as he turns his naked body to her. One leg up on the bed, the other still on the floor. He takes her hand in his and plays with her fingers. 

“I’m afraid my hate for you is fading. Has faded significantly. I’m afraid Jude Duarte, I am falling in love with you.”

“It’ll pass.” But she feels her heart jump at his words and she fears she may feel the same. 

He shakes his head, “If only.” He squeezes her hand then stands and she can’t help but watch his naked backside as he makes his way to his clothes, if his tail is anything to go by then he is happy. “You played your role well Queen and now you may have taken it a step too far. Either you say you love me in return or become one of my many mistresses after I marry another.”

“Are those my only options?” She ask. He pulls a shirt over his head and approaches her. A moment later he has pulled her to her knees and a hand slides up her thigh. 

His mouth lowers to her neck, his tongue sliding lightly up as he makes his way up to her mouth. He stops just a breath from her lips, her face between his hands as he cradles it, “Marry me Jude. Be my Queen for all time.” He whispers over her lips. 

She wastes no time with her answer as she closes her mouth over his.


End file.
